Court allows work on Pa. gas pipeline to resume

Mar. 1, 2012

LAPORTE, Pa. (AP) -- A federal court has lifted an order that briefly halted construction and tree clearing on a natural gas pipeline in northern Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains.

The ruling from a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that work on the 39-mile MARC 1 pipeline can resume. An individual appeals court judge had grant pipeline opponents a temporary stay in mid-February.

Some landowners are fighting the company building the pipeline. They say Central New York Oil & Gas refused to negotiate in good faith on either monetary compensation or the pipeline's route.

The company says it has reached agreement with the vast majority of landowners.

Bill Moler of Central New York's parent company, Inergy Midstream LP, says Tuesday's order will put hundreds of workers back on the job.